TULSA COUNTY, Okla. – A petition has been filed in Tulsa County seeking to convene a citizens’ grand jury to investigate District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler and his office.
The petition raises allegations involving the office’s handling of several cases and records. The filing itself states that it does not allege any named person has been found guilty of a criminal offense or removable misconduct and asks for a grand jury investigation to determine whether misconduct occurred.
What the Tulsa County grand jury petition seeks to investigate
Among the issues identified in the petition are reported assaults and sexual misconduct at the Tulsa County Juvenile Detention Center, proceedings involving April Wilkens and the office’s compliance with the Oklahoma Open Records Act.
The petition also identifies other areas for potential inquiry, including employee conduct, prosecutorial decisions, use of public resources for political activity and the administration and supervision of the district attorney’s office.
What happens with the petition next
The petition asks a judge to determine whether it is legally sufficient to move forward with circulation for signatures. If approved, petitioners would have 45 days to gather the required signatures from qualified Tulsa County voters.
The Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office said the allegations first need judicial review.
“The statements contained within the request to impanel a grand jury need to be reviewed by a judge. That is a part of the process. Importantly, that judge should not be a potential witness. Whomever is the judge assigned to this case, ultimately he or she must thereafter determine the legal sufficiency of the petition’s allegations in order to then authorize signature collections. As the statutorily designated representative to assist in grand jury proceedings, the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office will make sure all processes are followed. Grand juries are a part of Oklahoma’s legal process, and we will comply with the law as written and as directed.”
You can read the full petition by clicking on the document below.
This article was originally published by KOTV (News on 6). You can see the original story here.